Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R H Waldman

Publications and source records attributed to R H Waldman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Effects of guaifenesin on nasal mucociliary clearance and ciliary beat frequency in healthy volunteers.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Mucociliary clearance is an important host defense function of the upper respiratory tract that requires the coordinated beating of cilia and results in the transport of mucus to the oropharynx. Guaifenesin is a commonly prescribed drug that is reported to improve the clearance of respiratory secretions. We hypothesized that guaifenesin increases nasal mucociliary clearance related to increases in ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and that a direct relationship exists between nasal CBF and nasal mucociliary clearance. DESIGN: Double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study. PARTICIPANTS: Ten healthy volunteers with a previous history of sinus disease. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects received guaifenesin or placebo on days 1 to 7 or days 14 to 21. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: In vivo saccharine transit time (STT) was measured by noting the time in minutes required for the subject to taste a saccharin particle placed on the inferior turbinate of the naris. The CBF was determined by video microscopy on ten separate groups of beating ciliated nasal mucosal cells obtained by brushing immediately after each STT determination. We found that there was no significant change between the guaifenesin-or placebo-treated groups from baseline values of STT (p = 0.94) or CBF (p = 0.46). Regression analysis demonstrated no relationship between STT and CBF for repeated measures within subjects (mean r2 = 0.18; mean p = 0.66) and between STT and CBF when all paired measurements were combined across subjects (r2 = 0.47; p = 0.46). CONCLUSION: We conclude that guaifenesin exerts no measurable effect on in vivo nasal mucociliary clearance or ex vivo nasal ciliary motility in healthy volunteers with previous sinus disease. In addition, there appears to be no relationship between nasal STT measured in vivo and CBF measured ex vivo. The lack of correlation is most likely due to variations in CBF related to sampling artifacts introduced by the nasal brushing process.

Cilia↗
PubMed1993

Demonstration of the anti-viral activity of garlic extract against human cytomegalovirus in vitro.

The in vitro anti-viral activity of garlic extract (GE) on human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) was evaluated by tissue culture, plaque reduction and early antigen assay. A dose dependent inhibitory effect of GE was evident when GE was applied simultaneously with HCMV. But the effect was stronger when the monolayers were pretreated with GE. In addition, the anti-viral effect of GE persisted long in infected cells after its being removed from the culture medium. The strongest anti-viral effect of GE was demonstrated when it was applied continuously. It is therefore recommended that clinical use of GE against HCMV infection should be persistent and the prophylactic use of GE is preferable in immunocompromised patients.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1989

Assessing research productivity: evaluating journal publication across academic departments.

Publications produced by faculty over a three-year period are used in analyzing the relative research productivity of basic and clinical science departments in a college of medicine. The citation ratings of the journals, the number of authors, and the byline position of the faculty member are used in various publication evaluation schemes. The departments vary almost tenfold in research productivity per faculty member. Results of the analysis demonstrate that the number of authors and the byline position influence departmental productivity rankings very little. Rankings are substantially affected, however, when the journals are weighted based heavily on citation ratings.

Faculty, Medical↗
PubMed1988

Enhanced murine respiratory tract IgA antibody response to oral influenza vaccine when combined with a lipoidal amine (avridine).

The adjuvant activity of avridine, a synthetic lipoidal amine, incorporated in liposomes, was studied in mice immunized orally with killed influenza virus vaccine (A/PR/8/34, H1N1). Coadministration of avridine-containing liposomes and viral antigen enhanced the remote-site IgA antibody response in the respiratory tract without a concomitant serum antibody response or side effects. The results support the possible use of mucosal adjuvants for oral immunization against respiratory pathogens.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1987

Influenza specific antibodies in the female genital tract of mice after oral administration of live influenza vaccine.

In order to investigate the possible stimulation of antibodies in the genital tract by immunization female NMRI-mice were given orally a live influenza vaccine (A/PR/8/34, H1N1) on two occasions which were 10 days apart. Subsequently, virus specific IgA antibodies measured by an enzyme immunoassay in homogenates of urinary bladder, uterus and vagina and also in uterine washings. Specific IgA antibodies were not detectable in the sera of immunized mice. The high IgA titer in uterine washings, and in the homogenates suggests enhancement by vaccine of IgA antibody production in the genital tract.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1987

Age-dependent antibody response in mice and humans following oral influenza immunization.

In order to compare the antibody response in serum and secretions from healthy young subjects and the elderly (greater than 60 years), volunteers were immunized with the commercial inactivated influenza virus vaccine, by the usual (parenteral) route or orally. Also, young and old mice (mean age, 20 months) were orally immunized with live influenza virus. The older mice responded with a very slight rise in their serum and respiratory tract antibody levels compared with the young mice but showed no diminution in protection against lethal viral challenge. Elderly volunteers showed only slight serum antibody responses after parenteral immunization compared with the young. Neither group demonstrated a rise in serum antibody following oral immunization. With respect to the secretory IgA (SIgA) antibody response, certain differences were noted between the young and the elderly: the preimmunization levels of antibody to influenza virus were significantly greater in nasal secretions and saliva in the elderly as compared to the young volunteers, and the salivary antibody response was diminished in the elderly. This lack of a salivary antibody response in the elderly was explicable by the inverse relationship between the preimmunization SIgA antibody titers and the response to immunization. Oral immunization led to no more side effects than observed in the placebo control group.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1986

Remote-site stimulation of influenza antibodies in monkeys following intestinal stimulation.

Antibodies in nasal secretions and saliva were stimulated in 10 monkeys (Macacus rhesus) which had been immunized orally with a killed influenza vaccine. Prior to immunization, monkeys had no detectable antibody to influenza virus hemagglutinin or neuraminidase in sera or secretions. Oral immunization (6 times within 12 days, total of 0.6 mg hemagglutinin (HA) and 240 neuraminidase units) using intraesophageal intubation induced secretory antibodies to both antigens, but no serum antibody. Six and 8 monkeys reacted with HA-antibodies in nasal secretions and saliva, respectively, whereas neuraminidase antibodies occurred in nasal secretions of all 10 and in the saliva of 9 animals. The results support the concept of a common mucosal immune system in monkeys.

Administration, Oral↗